Meadowstars Mission
by Skytree
Summary: A disaster sends some North American felines fleeing their old homes and leaving behind beloved family members - in their eyes - in hopes of finding a safer place to live out their days. Along the way friendships form, but will they truly find safety and peace out in the wilds, or will it all come crumbling down upon them?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Warrior's does not belong to me, but to the Erin Hunter team of writers and Harper Collins. The characters herein are mine (unless otherwise known), but the naming schematics again belong to Erin Hunter, Harper Collins and the Warrior Cats series of books.

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 **CHAPTER ONE**

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One white paw touched the window from the outside. Green eyes peered through the glass at the house folk inside.

The ears atop the brown and white tabby she-cat lowered against her skull. "No. Not again."

Lowering her foreleg back to the ground she turned around and yowled to her kits. "Aspen, Maddie, Leigh follow me."

She watched for her kits.

Maddie ran to her side, tail up in the air. "Mama!"

Aspen followed on Maddie's tail with a little growl. "No fair. You had a head start."

Maddie glanced at her brother and stuck out her tongue.

Leigh, a couple minutes later joined them. Her gait dainty and taken with care. The runt of the litter; not that anyone ever called her that aloud.

Maddie turned her attention to mother once all her siblings were assembled. "What is it mother?"

Fanny sighed, closed her eyes, and lowered her head. "You must hide from the house folk."

"Why Mother?" Maddie asked.

Aspen tilted his head.

Leigh sat back on her hindquarters.

Behind them the leaves rustled.

Fanny's eyes snapped open and her head lifted. Her mouth parted to reveal her teeth as the hair on her back stood on end.

A three legged gray and white tabby stepped out from the bushes.

Fanny blinked and closed her mouth. Her ruffled fur settled down. She lifted her right leg and gave her paw a lick. "Oh dear, you gave me quite a fright Solider."

The trio of kits, having forgotten the serious tone of their mother and her words gathered around the tom.

Leigh squeaked, "Father. Father!"


	2. Chapter 2

Once they had filled their bellies with the dry pellets mixed with moist morsels Maddie glanced at the only home she'd ever known. Where their house folk had brushed their paw down her back. Where food had always been available.

Her ears lowered against her head and then she turned around. "When are we leaving?"

Her brother and sister, Aspen and Leigh blinked. Their ears too lowered for a moment. She knew they were as upset as she. Their kin was more important than the house folk who would separate them. As they had kin they may never get a chance to know.

Soldier, with a slow blink, replied, "Now. We cannot afford to wait."

Fanny's tail brushed along Soldier's side.

With flattened ears and tails dragging on the ground Maddie and her siblings walked toward Soldier and Fanny.

Fanny gave each of her kits a lick. She turned and walked in the direction that the sun had arisen earlier that day. Just behind her Soldier followed.

Maddie gazed at her sister Leigh who kept pace with Soldier. It worried her that her father was going into the wilderness when he only had three legs.

At her side, she felt a nudge. Turning her head she saw the wide-eyed gaze of Aspen. "Aspen?"

"Is this really a good idea?" He asked in a quiet voice. No doubt so that he could not be heard by Fanny and Solider.

Swiveling her ears and flicking her tail she hissed, "No. But what choice do we have? House folk are nice, but I don't want to be taken away from our kin. Leigh would be devastated if she could never see Soldier again. You'd not like not sharing tongues with Fanny."

Aspen lowered his head, ears flat. "Why would the house folk separate us?"

"Who knows why. It's mouse-brained. I love them, but I love my kin too." It was hard. Fanny and Soldier had come to a difficult decision. Whether it was the right decision, well she didn't know. Yet they were leaving safety, comfort and guaranteed food behind.

Not paying attention she stumbled with a yowl as she fell onto her side.

Looking up she blinked at Fanny's large pupils, arched back and bushed out tail. Heard her growl and beside her Soldier's hiss.

Maddie had never seen the creature they were staring at so intently. Its muzzle was longer than that of any cat she knew. Its coat mostly a grizzled gray stripe down its back. "What is that?" she hissed.

Aspen shivered beside her, "I-I don't know. It doesn't look like a cat."

She watched Leigh back away from Soldier and brush against her side.

The creature stared at Fanny and Soldier, its jaw parting to reveal sharp teeth.

It lunged at Soldier.

Soldier lifted one of his forepaws and raked a claw down the strange animal's snout.

Fanny leaped up and bore all her weight down upon the back of their opponent. Her claws dug into their enemies back.

The creature screeched. It shook itself and Fanny jumped off. Soldier swiped at its snout again.

Maddie watched as it turned tail and ran. Saw Fanny and Soldier chase after it. Heard them yowling before they turned back to them.

Beside her, Aspen and Leigh huddled on either side of her, leaning into her.

What she had seen had both shock and amazed her. "That was dangerous."

Soldier dipped his head. "Yes. Life in the wild is very dangerous."

Fanny's tail end twitched. "We're still together."

Leigh ran over to Soldier and pressed her head to his chest.

Aspen walked over to Fanny and leaned against her side.

Maddie could see they were all shaken. Her littermates most of all. They hadn't said another word and were trying to find comfort where they could.

"Fanny? Soldier?"

The two of them gazed at her, their whiskers perked forward.

"I don't think we can do this alone."

Fanny tilted her head. "What do you mean Maddie?"

She could see them all staring at her. Waiting for what she had to say. She could feel her shoulders sagging. No! She had to show confidence.

Standing on all fours, her head held high she replied. "You both were amazing, chasing that creature off."

"It was a fox," Soldier said.

"I see. It was good. But you said there are many dangers."

Soldier nodded. Fanny pressed her cheek against his.

Leigh, "I don't like danger."

Soldier licked Leigh on the ear.

Aspen, "I want to be brave like you Mother."

Fanny turned her head and nuzzled Aspen.

Maddie's tail flicked. "Bravery alone will not help us. We need to find other cats who would like to join us, for it is evident that there is safety in numbers."

Fanny and Soldier stared at her, glanced at each other and mewed in unison.

Soldier took a step forehead to touch his nose to Maddie's forehead. "How wise our kit Maddie, Fanny."

Fanny purred and wrapped her tail around Leigh and Aspen. "Wise beyond her moons."

"Wise beyond her season as well," he gave praise.

Maddie licked her chest fur a couple of times before looking back up at her kin. "What do you think we should do?"

Fanny glanced up at the sky through the branches of two intersecting trees. "We need to keep going. The further away from our house folk the less chance they'll be able to find us and separate us."

Soldier's tail twitched. "Fanny is correct. On our way, we can try and find other cats. Ask if they'll join us on our journey. Even if we don't know our destination."

Leigh's ears flattened against her head, "We don't know where we're going?"

Aspen's fur ruffled, "That can't be good."

Maddie glanced in the direction the fox had taken off. "We need to find a path that does not stink of fox, or other dangers."

"It's impossible to avoid all danger Maddie," Soldier lowered his head to lick her forehead.

"Then whatever path has the least danger. Until we can figure out where we're supposed to go." She knew it had to be away from any house folk, but she hoped there was a place where dangers were few and far between.

Fanny purred, "We'll know it when we get there. For now, we should continue while the sun is still shining. On our way, we can hunt."

Maddie and her littermates, Aspen and Leigh asked, "What does hunt mean?"

Soldier mewed, "You'll find out when we find something to hunt. It's like playing pounce, but not with each other. What you hunt is what you eat."

Leigh wrinkled her nose.

Aspen's tail lifted and wagged, "That sounds fun!"

Maddie wasn't so sure about that, but they did need to eat again, eventually.

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 ** **Author's Note:**** Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave constructive criticism, theories, and even suggestions. I'd love to know what you think of the characters themselves even. I appreciate it.


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